UNKNOWN NUMBER, scalia

37. nothing is ever what it looks like

scott.

malia pulled away from theo immediately. she pulled back her hand to slap him, but he stepped back and turned around. he doubled over and threw up, resulting in isaac pointing and laughing at him. he then fell backwards, passed out.

he probably won't even remember any of this. malia thought, shaking her head. she raised her hand up to her lips and felt them, only one person on her mind: scott. she had to go see him.

she didn't say anything to anyone as she ran out the bedroom, down the stairs, and out the front door. she got in her car and drove to scott's house, hoping he was already home from work.

she knew melissa had the night shift that day, and she saw that the light was on in his bedroom. she didn't bother knocking, she just ran in and up the stairs, calling his name. "scott!"

she opened the door and saw scott sitting on his bed, his head low. he had his phone in his hand.

"scott, i have to tell you something." malia said quickly. she didn't want to hide this from scott. she loved him, he needed to know the truth.

"don't bother." scott sniffled. he raised his head and malia saw that he was crying. he stood up and walked towards her. he didn't say anything, he just held up his phone, showing her a picture. of her and theo. when theo kissed her at the party. it looked very bad.

isaac. she remembered seeing him with his phone out, taking pictures of everything. "scott-"

"i guess isaac is really drunk. he sent me this." he turned of his phone and tossed it on the bed.

"scott, listen. it's not what it looks like."

"really, malia? you're using that excuse? out of every excuse imaginable, you use 'it's not what it looks like'?" scott looked away from her. he quietly said, "nothing is ever what it looks like with you."

malia reached up and grabbed his face, turned his head to look at her. "but it's not an excuse. that's what i was coming to tell you!"

scott said nothing, he just shook his head. his eyes were filled with tears.

"do you actually think i cheated on you? scott, i love you! i would never do anything to mess this up."

scott reached up and gently grabbed her wrists. he placed one of his hands over malia's, which was still cupping his face. he whispered, "i don't know what to say."

"say you believe me." her voice was quiet. pleading. she was crying now, tears silently streaming down her face.

scott sniffled again, breaking malia's heart each time he did it.

"look, it's not theo's fault, okay? he's really, really drunk. someone may have even drugged him. i was the only sober one there, i promise. he walked up and kissed me and i pushed him away immediately."

scott seemed to realize something. "theo." he said. then he looked mad.

"scott, look at me." malia tried to get his focus back on her. "say you believe me."

scott looked at her with his mouth parted slightly. he looked like he didn't know what to say. he took malia's hands off his face and held them in his own. he lifted one of them to his lips and he softly kissed her knuckle, making malia fall apart inside. then he whispered, "i believe you."

malia's body instantly filled with relief. a relieved smile began to form on her face.

"but..." he started.

no. no no no. she hated that word. so much pressure relied on that word. that word changed lives. that word ruined lives. it was one way of getting someone's hopes up, and then crushing them right after. no. no.

"i think we should take a break." his voice was almost too quiet for her to hear. he looked down, hiding his eyes.

she began shaking her head. "no, no. scott. scott, you said you believed me."

"i do."

"then what's the problem? why do you want to break up?" malia's voice was gradually raising as she spoke, not in an angry way, but a desperate way.

"i don't want to break up. i want to take a break."

"that's always how it starts. it starts as a break and then it's a break up, scott. you know what that's like. you know how that works."

he shook his head. "i can't keep constantly worrying about you and theo."

malia's jaw dropped. "then don't! there's nothing to worry about! he was drunk, scott. i've already told you."

"the fact that you're defending him doesn't really help."

sadness entered her voice again. "scott..."

he looked her in the eye. a look of sympathy. "this isn't going to work."

malia almost broke down from the pain those five words brought her. she literally almost fell, the impact of those words were so strong. she was completely stunned. it was like the air had been knocked out of her and she couldn't speak. even if she could, she wouldn't know what to say. the guy she loved just... broke up with her? or was it a 'break'?

"so, it's over." she cried. "we're done."

scott didn't answer her.

"i thought you loved me." malia said. "you told me you loved me."

"i do love you. i always will." he assured her.

malia suddenly jerked her hands out of his. "don't say that to me. you cannot do that. you can't break up with someone and then tell them you love them! that's not okay, scott!"

"i... i'm sorry." he looked sad and confused. "i have to go." he stepped around her and walked out the door.

malia stood there for a moment before shouting, "this is your house!"

there was no answer. she fell back onto scott's bed, crying.

•••

scott has a reason whoops

-Kelsie